GANDHINAGAR
MARCH 31.
The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, has succeeded in defusing a controversy over the State Government's reported proposal to close down the relief camps for riot victims and agreed to take up the rehabilitation measures, proposed to be implemented through non-government organisations.

Mr. Modi told the first meeting of the all-party Committee on Relief for the riot-hit held under the chairmanship of the Governor, Sunder Singh Bhandari, at the Raj Bhavan today, that the Government had no intention of closing down the relief camps nor would it force the people to return.

The State Congress president, Amarsinh Chaudhary, member of the committee, said he was "satisfied'' with the Government's "positive stand.'' He was happy that it had agreed to consider his party's demand for an increase in the compensation to those who had lost their houses in the riots. Usmangani Devdiwala, an independent member of the State Assembly, also expressed satisfaction over the Government's approach. And the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Naresh Raval, said Mr. Modi had set at rest the controversy over the Government's "silence'' on rehabilitation despite the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's directives.

Mr. Modi had made it clear at the meeting that "rehabilitation is incorporated in the relief'' because the Government would only provide compensation and the people would have to construct their own houses. Mr. Raval claimed that the Chief Minister had assured the committee that it would be taken into confidence in all matters of relief and rehabilitation. The Government had also agreed to his suggestion of convening a meeting of the committee once a week to review the progress.

It was agreed, Mr. Chaudhary said, that even those who had come to the relief camps out of fear would not be forced to return unless the Government could ensure their safety and the affected were satisfied with the arrangements. There would be no forced re-settlement. The committee would have a joint meeting with Mr. Vajpayee during his visit to Gujarat on April 4.

The Government stand at the committee, in which some prominent citizens are also members, was different from what Mr. Modi had reportedly told the representatives of some non-government organisations — running the relief camps — two days ago. He had said the Government favoured early closure of the relief camps due to financial considerations and to restore a semblance of normalcy.

According to Government figures, about 98,000 riot victims are living in 100 relief camps in different parts of the State.